Thinking Through the Bible

Sacrificed for Adam & Eve?

The Genesis account of humankind’s’ fall from the freedom to do good into the devastating slavery to sin shows Adam and Eve hiding from God after they sinned, followed by sewing together fig leaves to make themselves clothes. God later gave Adam & Eve skins which are much higher quality garments, supporting their insight to cover themselves.

(1) Did God kill animals to make these clothes?

(a) While the answer could be yes, the Bible is silent on this point.

(b) God could also have taken skins from animals that died naturally.

(c) Another possibility is God making skins scientifically, like scientists envision growing organs using cells and applied genetics knowledge.

(2) Did God kill the animals as a sacrifice for the sins of Adam & Eve?

(a) A surface reading of scriptures infers the sacrifice of animals is needed to forgive needs, implying yes.

(b) A deeper reading into scriptures shows that only Jesus’ sacrifice can forgive sins, implying such an animal sacrifice was unnecessary.

(c) The focus on a need for a sacrifice takes the focus away from the promises of God to send a Savior after humankind’s fall, where the real & true forgiveness of sins originates for those with a remaining faith.

Genesis 3:15 (ESV): … “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

(d) Likewise, the Bible further informs it was not the sacrifices of Abraham on which the future salvation resides, yet rather faith in God’s promises. Therefore the most important point from the Genesis Account of the Fall of Humankind are God’s promises.

(e) Scripture itself testifies to the impossibility of animal sacrifices themselves taking away anyone’s sins. It is by faith in the coming Savior Jesus Christ that forgiveness of sins is granted on credit for Jesus’ future crucifixion. Once Jesus came and died on the cross and resurrected back to life, there was no longer any need for animal sacrifices reminders.

(f) God did not immediately setup an animal sacrificial system. Instead the system of animal sacrifices was setup later to remind people of their sins’ severity, which they continued to downplay to support their tendencies to disobey. Adam and Eve were already ashamed and sorry for their sins, realizing Satan tricked them, and hence no need to be reminded yet again of their sins by performing animal sacrifices.

(g) As God takes no pleasure in the animal sacrificial system, there was no reason for God to offer any animals sacrifices to further induce his own displeasure in an already horrendously disappointing situation.

Hebrews 10:3-4 (ESV):

3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 10:8-9 (ESV):

8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings”(these are offered according to the law),
9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.”He does away with the first in order to establish the second.

Genesis 3:6-7 (ESV):

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Genesis 3:14-15 (ESV):

14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Genesis 3:21 (ESV):

21 And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

Genesis 5:21-24 (ESV):

21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah.
22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years.
24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

Roman 4:13-14 (ESV):

13 Forthe promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

Romans 6:23 (ESV):

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.